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Students, publishers spar over potential of eTextbooks to reduce costs
By Meris Stansbury, Assistant Editor,
eSchool News

Online textbooks have been touted in recent months as a way to bring relief to college students beleaguered by soaring textbook prices. Now, a study from the Student Public Interest Research Groups raises questions about whether online texts really are better than their printed counterparts--and publishers of online textbooks are firing back in turn.
According to the study, titled "Course Correction: How Digital Textbooks are Off Track and How to Set Them Straight," eTextbooks sound great in theory, but they are still overpriced--and though open electronic textbooks have the cost right, currently there aren't enough options to make them worth a student's time.
The study surveyed more than 500 students from Oregon and Illinois, asking them to rate their criteria for what defined a good digital textbook solution. Students said affordability, printing options, and accessibility were the top three characteristics of a worthy solution.
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Related links
Student PIRG study
CourseSmart
Flat World Knowledge

Source: eSchool News